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Ask Jamal Dancy '24 about his university experience and he won’t sugarcoat it: College can be hard.

But he feels like ����ֱ�� is a place where, despite your struggles, you can feel secure in the fact that if you ask for help, you’ll get it.
 

Dancy transferred to ����ֱ�� in May 2022 after earning an associate degree in criminal justice from Reading Area Community College (RACC). What won him over? The O’Pake Institute for Economic Development & Entrepreneurship.
 

“I took a tour of O’Pake and saw what the Institute was doing for the community," Dancy said.

A Reading resident, and one who hopes to make change for the better in his hometown, he sees a difference since ����ֱ�� brought the Institute into the city.

“Since O’Pake made its home here, the change has happened quickly," he said. "Five years ago, I wouldn’t necessarily have walked up and down Penn Street.”
 

As an O’Pake Fellow, he worked in advising nonprofit organizations aiming to get their start at doing good.

“We helped them build business models, to obtain their 501(c)3 status and to fulfill their dreams,” said Dancy proudly.
 

And in a unique twist, he was able to experience the help the Institute can offer a young entrepreneur as well, getting assistance in developing an app of his own geared to universities as a client.
 

Hands-on experiences are what set ����ֱ�� apart, said Dancy. That, and the knowledge of its professors and the willingness of all members of faculty to lend a helping hand.
 

For a commuting student that is also a transfer student, making connections on campus can be more difficult, Dancy admitted. For those who in similar positions, he would recommend starting by getting to know the people in your classes.
 

As he looks to life post-����ֱ��, Dancy aims to continue his mission of helping others in his community. His goal is to work in the juvenile probation system for a few years before eventually enrolling in law school to become a judge.
 

It was his internship experience set up by ����ֱ�� with Magisterial District Justice Tonya Butler of Berks County that really inspired his path. Said Dancy, “I want to come back to Reading [my home] and continue to make it a better place.”

For those considering ����ֱ��, be it as a freshman or transfer student, Dancy said a beautiful campus filled with friendly people awaits. But, as he mentioned, there will be challenges.

Offering sage advice, Dancy advised: “Always have a support system in place. It could be your family, it could be a friend, but have one there to help you through.”